2015 Build Season Update: Week 1 Activities

This year’s game has lots of challenges. They include moving totes and recycling bins, stacking totes up to six feet, removing “litter” from game floor, inserting “litter” into recycling bins, and driving robot over scoring platforms.

Our strategy is to build a fast robot that can reliably stack totes. After much discussion, we decided on a forklift design. The robot will have a U–shaped chassis with space in center for forklift. We think this design will provide stability, as well as space for electronics. Mecanum wheels will provide drive train maneuverability.

We are deciding between two ideas for our forklift design: an angular articulated forklift with two forks that pivot at the robot’s back and a linear articulated forklift with two forks attached to a perpendicular piece that allows them to open and close.

The robot will also have a pulley system to lift the fork up and a few layers of sliders to increase it’s height.

During Week 2, we will build prototypes to aid our forklift design decision. We will also CAD the drive train.